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Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the capital of South Carolina, the state's second largest city, and the county seat of Richland County, South Carolina. The population of the city is 129,272. It is the site of Fort Jackson, the largest United States Army installation for Basic Combat Training, and is home to the state's flagship university and the largest in the state, the University of South Carolina, in addition to Central Carolina Battle Academy, Allen University, Benedict College, Columbia College, Columbia International University, Midlands Technical College and Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is: 48.43% White (62,606) 42.22% Black or African American (54,578) 5.20% Hispanic or Latino (6,722) 4.15% Other (5,366) 21.5% (27,793) of Columbia residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Columbia's theft and murder rates are the highest of any city in South Carolina. The city reported 188 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 9.46 murders a year. Pokemon See the Richland County page for more info. Fun facts * Local TV stations in Columbia include WIS 10 (NBC), WLTX 19 (CBS), WOLO-TV 25 (ABC), WRJA 27 / WRLK 35 (PBS), WZRB 47 (Ion), WACH 57 (FOX) and WKTC 63 (The CW). * Columbia is served by the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. It also has a train station served by Amtrak's Silver Star. * In addition to Fort Jackson, more towards Eastover is the McEntire Joint National Guard Station. * MegaBus began operations in Columbia in 2015. There routes include stops in Atlanta, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Richmond, Virginia, Washington, DC, and New York City, New York. The station is located on Sumter Street. * The city also has a reliever airport: Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport. * The Comet, officially the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority, is the agency responsible for operating mass transit in the greater Columbia area including Cayce, West Columbia, Forest Acres, Arcadia Lakes, Springdale, Lexington and the St. Andrews area. COMET operates express shuttles, as well as bus service serving Columbia and its immediate suburbs. The authority was established in October 2002 after SCANA released ownership of public transportation back to the city of Columbia. Since 2003, COMET has provided transportation for more than 2 million passengers, has expanded route services, and introduced 43 new ADA accessible buses offering a safer, more comfortable means of transportation. CMRTA has also added 10 natural gas powered buses to the fleet. COMET went under a name change and rebranding project in 2013. Before then, the system was called the Columbia Metropolitan Rapid Transit Association or "CMRTA". ** The Central Midlands Council of Governments is in the process of investigating the potential for rail transit in the region. Routes into downtown Columbia originating from Camden, Newberry, and Batesburg-Leesville are in consideration, as is a potential line between Columbia and Charlotte connecting the two mainlines of the future Southeastern High Speed Rail Corridor. * Columbia enjoys a diversified economy, with the major employers in the area being South Carolina state government, the Palmetto Health hospital system, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Palmetto GBA, and the University of South Carolina. The corporate headquarters of Fortune 1000 energy company, SCANA, are located in the Columbia suburb of Cayce. Other major employers in the Columbia area include Computer Sciences Corporation, Fort Jackson, the U.S. Army's largest and most active initial entry training installation, Richland School District One, Humana/TriCare, and the United Parcel Service, which operates its Southeastern Regional Hub at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Major manufacturers such as Square D, CMC Steel, Spirax Sarco, Michelin, International Paper, Pirelli Cables, Honeywell, Westinghouse Electric, Harsco Track Tech, Trane, Intertape Polymer Group, Union Switch & Signal, FN Herstal, Solectron, and Bose Technology have facilities in the Columbia area. There are over 70 foreign affiliated companies and fourteen Fortune 500 companies in the region. The gross domestic product (GDP) of the Columbia metropolitan statistical area as of 2010 was $31.97 billion, the highest among MSAs in the state. * Attractions in Columbia include the Columbia Museum of Art, South Carolina State Museum, EdVenture Children's Museum, Frankie's Fun Park, World's Largest Fire Hydrant and the Historic Columbia Foundation. * Columbia is home to the South Carolina State Fair. * Governor Henry McMaster, rapper Jeezy and Aziz Ansari were born in Columbia. Retired NASCAR driver John David Starr resides in the city, and Hootie & the Blowfish come from here. * Columbia has been the recipient of several awards and achievements. In October 2009, Columbia was listed in U.S. News & World Report as one of the best places to retire, citing location and median housing price as key contributors. As of July 2013 Columbia was named one of "10 Great Cities to Live In" by Kiplinger Magazine. Most recently, the city has been named a top mid-sized market in the nation for relocating families, as well as one of 30 communities named "America's Most Livable Communities," an award given by the non-profit Partners for Livable Communities. * In 1860, the city was the location of the South Carolina Secession Convention, which marked the departure of the first state from the Union in the events leading up to the Civil War. * Columbia is also home to Midlands Guild Base, an installation of the South Carolina State Guild, and where basic training for the state guild's recruits take place. * Columbia has hosted more Pokemon Leagues, Grand Festivals and Master Classes than any other city in the state. Category:South Carolina Cities